


Small gestures

by supcl4ra (klari19)



Category: sweet pool
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Mention of attempted suicide, bless youji for being such an angel, i almost barfed while writing this lmao, i love my sons, makoto must be protected at all costs, save poor tetsuo, sweet pool Secret Santa 2015, this is so embarrassing, zenya is out of control
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 20:33:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5512232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klari19/pseuds/supcl4ra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"What started out as the typical ritual of setting up the Christmas tree in the flat that they shared ended up with Makoto lying in a hospital bed with a broken arm and a light concussion."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Small gestures

**Author's Note:**

> This is my sweet pool secret santa gift for [ambcompany](http://ambcompany.tumblr.com/)!!!  
> They asked for a Makoto and Youji thing, as well as, and i quote, "something where no one’s dead"..... _i feel you_  
>  Here's your gift then!, I hope you like it <3  
> Also, huge thanks to [Ro](http://sunfalldown.tumblr.com/) for making sure everything was okay and helping me correct some stuff!

What started out as the typical ritual of setting up the Christmas tree in the flat that they shared ended up with Makoto lying in a hospital bed with a broken arm and a light concussion. Youji sat on a small chair beside him.

"How do you feel? Does it still hurt?" Youji questioned softly, his hand slowly wrapping itself around Makoto's free one on the bed.

"I still feel a little lightheaded...." Makoto spoke with a sigh. "I've ruined our Christmas, sorry." He mumbled, looking away from Youji's face.

Youji smiled gently upon hearing those words. It was true that they'd have to spend the 24th as well as the 25th in the hospital, just to make sure that Makoto didn't have any major troubles because of the concussion, but their event was definitely not ruined –Youji would make sure that it wasn’t.

"That's not true." He said, and Makoto turned to face him with an apologetic look lingering on his features. "I brought stuff when I went back home to get us some new clothes."

"Stuff?" Makoto repeated, his expression now turning into a confused one.

"Mm-hmm." Youji hummed, getting up and motioning toward the bag he'd brought along with himself from their place.

He lifted it up from where it lay on the pristine floor, and gently placed it on the snow-white sheets, careful not to put its weight over Makoto's lower limbs. Youji's hand dove inside the bad and fished in it for a while, until he was able to extract.... a red hat, and a whole load of red, green, gold and silver ribbons. He put them atop Makoto's sheet-covered legs on the hospital bed.

Makoto was gaping slightly at the sight of the many decorations. "Youji...." He breathed out.

Youji chuckled, his hand covering his mouth, for Makoto’s face showed a pure and unreserved amazement that was difficult not to find humorous. He lowered his hand after a while, his lips still curled up by a smile, but his eyes now shaded with determination.

"I won't let our Christmas be ruined, you hear me?" He spoke softly, as he put a hand under Makoto's chin to lift it up, and looked intently into his eyes.

"Youji..." Makoto repeated. His eyes watered as he continued, his voice slightly broken: "I- How did I get so- lucky...?"

Youji sighed. Not in annoyance, but rather… in understanding.

The memories of the incident in which both of them had been involved, and that had happened when they were back in high school, came back to Youji. Although it had been very frightening at first, Youji had managed to calm Makoto down after extremely long and tense minutes. After he’d come back to himself, the brown-haired boy had tried putting an end to his life out of guilt and shame, but he’d been saved, thankfully. Both boys had come to an agreement afterward, and a few years later, they had embarked in a long-term relationship. But… ever since that day Makoto had begun showing an incredibly lower self-esteem, as well as an unprecedented doubt in everything. He always needed someone to reassure him, to validate him, to believe in him… and Youji was there to do that for him. Because… he loved Makoto very much. And he knew Makoto did too, but he understood that his situation brought the younger one a greater struggle in their relationship. Therefore, he always told Makoto why exactly he deserved all of what he had in his life.

"Because you're good, Makoto, that's why." Youji spoke, sitting down onto the bed and pulling his face closer to Makoto's, pressing their foreheads together. "You're good, and you deserve everything in this world for you."

"Goddammit Youji." Makoto said, a light laughter in his voice as he moved his face to the side. "You can't be talking about me."

"But I am." Youji murmured, cupping Makoto's cheek with his hand and softly tracing circles underneath his eye.

Makoto closed his eyes tightly and inhaled a sharp breath. When he released it, it was shaky. "Seriously, how did I get this lucky..." There was hesitancy, but also something more in his voice… _tenderness._

Youji smiled gently, and softly pulled Makoto's face so that it faced him once more. Their locked gazes spoke every word they were too embarrassed to say out loud in that moment. They stayed like that for a while, Youji's hand on Makoto's cheek, and Makoto's available hand searching for Youji's other one, interlacing their fingers and squeezing lightly on them. They breathed, their warm exhales stroking each other's cheeks and noses and... lips.

Youji leaned in first. It was the first time he'd done it so straightforwardly, without a hint of hesitation in his movements. They were slowly advancing in their relationship, and this was one of the many steps they were taking forward.

Youji softly pressed his lips to Makoto's, feeling them… how soft, how plump, how warm they were, and just how perfect they felt against his own. He placed light, almost teasing pecks onto Makoto's mouth, and the boy chuckled, making Youji laugh lightly as well.

When they parted, they could very well see the light flush in their cheeks. But one look into each other's eyes made a smile appear on their faces and the shyness go away a little.

Youji sat up straight on the bed and reached a hand toward the red Santa hat lying atop he form of Makoto's lower limbs. He put it in front of himself, at eye level, and studied it with his head cocked to the side.

"I wonder...." He murmured to himself, then looked to Makoto with a playful smile.

Youji was quick to place the hat onto Makoto's head, not giving him any chance to resist –not that he could do much with only one arm, anyway. Makoto only looked at him in confusion, one eyebrow lifted and his lips slightly parted. Youji only smiled, trying to refrain from losing himself to laughter because _oh my_ , Makoto looked just _so damn cute._

Youji got up from the bed and gazed at the room around them. "Hmm... Doesn't look very Christmas-y, does it?" He spoke, then looked back to Makoto with a gentle smile. "Time to brighten this up!"

He took a golden ribbon from the bed, and dragged a chair toward the wall, placing it right underneath the window. Youji paused for a while, gazing at the snowflakes falling softly on the other side of the glass. He looked back to Makoto and smiled before turning back again and standing onto the chair. He straightened up, and reached up, carefully placing the long fabric around the top bar of the curtains. Then, he came down and took a silver ribbon, and repeated the same thing he'd done with the previous decoration. After that, he tied and wrapped ribbons on the machinery and furniture around the room, on the metallic coat suspender in the corner, and finally, on the bars of Makoto's bed.

Soon, the entire room was colored in red, green, silver and gold. Youji looked at his work, and then at Makoto, indulging in his almost childish look: a gigantic smile paired with eyes so bright they seemed to have stars in them. Youji came back toward the bed and sat down on it once more.

"Do you like it?"

"Of course I do." Makoto murmured in reply. "This gesture... You... This is the best thing. Ever..."

Youji closed his eyes and smiled, feeling is chest warm up as he heard Makoto's softly spoked words. He took Makoto's available hand in his own, and pressed down slightly.

"Merry Christmas, Makoto." He murmured, opening his eyes and gazing into Makoto's.

"Merry Christmas, Youji." He replied, softly stroking Youji's palms with his fingers. "Thank you. For everything."

* * *

There were three knocks on the door before it was smoothly opened. Youji and Makoto were chatting happily, Youji having brought back the chair from underneath the window to place it once more beside Makoto’s bed. When they heard the door being unlocked, they turned their gazes toward it at once.

Two tall blonds were stepping into the room, and one had his hair much longer than the other.

“What’s up~” Zenya chanted, a playful smile creeping onto his lips.

“Hey.” Tetsuo spoke, his ever stern face now altered by a smile that would go undetected to anyone who didn’t know him well.

Makoto and Youji greeted the boys and invited them to take seats. Tetsuo dragged a chair and placed it beside Youji’s, while Zenya climbed onto Makoto’s bed, clearly ignoring the brown-haired guy’s complaint.

“We came to visit Mako-chan, and see how he’s doing!” Zenya spoke, his voice as bright and happy as ever, leaning down to give Makoto a hug.

Makoto laughed nervously and lightly patted Zenya’s back. Youji heard Tetsuo sigh heavily, and when he looked to him, the blond had put his hand over his eyes and was shaking his head slowly. Youji chuckled softly at the display in front of him.

“Testu~” Zenya called, straightening up on the bed. Youji could hear the man in question mutter “How many times have I told him not to—” before Zenya continued: “Did you bring the thing I asked you to?”

Tetsuo took a moment to breathe before answering positively.

“Yay!” The long-haired blond replied, throwing his arms up, an action which made the entire bed shake. He proceeded: “Youji-chan, Tetsu, come over here then!”

“W-why?” Makoto inquired shyly.

Zenya smiled playfully at him, then looked to Testuo, gesturing him to answer the question. Testuo sighed once more, the replied.

“Zenya wants us to… take a picture. Together.”

There was a moment of silence during which they could all hear Zenya’s giggle. Youji let his head fall forward and smiled. This was unexpected, but it could be fun… He got up and walked to the bed, waving his hand to Tetsuo, prompting him to approach the small group.

“Yeah, coming. Just let me get…” He trailed away, his hand searching inside his backpack. “There, got it.”

Youji could see a selfie stick in Tetsuo’s hand when the guy walked up to them. Tetsuo then placed himself on the opposite side of Makoto’s bed. Zenya was already picking his position when he hurried the rest of the guys to get closer. Tetsuo placed his phone on its designated spot on the gadget, then he expanded the stick and placed it in front of them.

“Are you guys ready?” Zenya asked, wrapping his arm around Makoto’s neck and pulling him closer to him.

Youji leaned closer, trying not to erupt in laughter due to Makoto’s panicked expression. Tetsuo moved closer as well, and started the countdown.

“Three… Two… One…”

“Everybody smile!!” Zenya came in an overly excited voice as the phone snapped, immortalizing the moment. “Let me see it Tetsu! I want to see the picture!”

“He’s like a little kid…” Tetsuo murmured while taking a hold of his phone. When Zenya asked him what he’d said, he quickly replied “Nothing.”

Tetsuo displayed the picture on his screen and presented it to the group. Tetsuo had been caught giving a half annoyed sidelong glance to Zenya next to him, who was captured with his mouth open and his eyes half-lidded, his arms around the neck of an openly nervous and flustered Makoto. It seemed as if Youji alone had been making an appropriate face at the moment of the shot, for he appeared with a genuine and gentle smile, his head resting on Makoto’s shoulder.

Makoto and Youji were fighting to suppress their laughter, and when they looked to Tetsuo, they realized he was doing the same. All three men lost it when Zenya spoke up and declared, with true honesty and seriousness in his voice: “I love it.”

The boys’ laughter echoed off the white walls of the dimly lit room, the sound intensified by Zenya’s incessant questions of “Why are you guys laughing? Don’t you think this picture is the most beautiful ever? Can you please appreciate its beauty?”

Youji wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and breathed before speaking up softly: “It is, indeed, a beautiful picture.”

“Yeah… Thanks guys…” Makoto murmured, his lips still curled up in a smile.

“This is so cute…” Zenya whispered, putting his fingers to his forehead in a dramatic manner.

Muffled bursts of laughter could be heard outside the door of the room and into the hospital corridor. And, outside the widow, the snow fell in earnest, wrapping the entire city in a soft white blanket.

**Author's Note:**

> hope y'all ~~barfed while reading this~~ liked this :'3  
>  visit me on [tumblr](http://tetsuos.co.vu/) for more sweet pool madness


End file.
